Determination
by SweetDreamer215
Summary: Not everything can stay a secret, no matter how much you want it to. Sometimes the things you hope to be kept secret can be stolen, and the hardest of choices must be made. (one-shot for now)


A woman stared out into the night, the moon and stars lighting her luminescent figure. She was dressed in fine clothes and jewels, her gaze shifted to the sleeping town in front of her. The last time she had done this was years ago, and something horrible happened the next day. The same horrible, gut wrenching feeling was attacking her now, she had other times where that feeling had attacked her but none so much as to where she couldn't sleep, this would be the second time. She thought back to that first time, it was a worse situation then, and she had only been ten-years-old. She closed her eyes and wondered; why did it feel that this situation would be worse then it was when the fate of the country was in danger?

A noise, like the shifting of a cloak in the wind, caught her attention. The woman tensed, ready to attack the stranger at a moments notice.

"Relax princess," the man chuckled. She let out a breath she didn't know that she was holding.

"You scared me," she replied with a smile, "How did you get here?" He pointed to the roof.

"Your guards are too lax princess," he said cheekily, she chuckled.

"I'll speak to them then," she replied with a small smile on her face, "how have you been?" She walked towards him and reached her hand out almost touching his cheek but stopped and pulled it close to her heart while looking away. The man pulled her towards him and held her close; she gasped and looked at him bewildered.

"I'm well and you princess?" he smirked, "I mean my queen." She frowned at that and glared at the man.

"I hate it when you call me that. I tolerate princess but I will not stand queen, not from you, and not in an informal setting." He smiled pulling her close to him once again, and he softly replied, "Of course," She looked at him waiting for the princess or the queen part to follow after, "Zelda." Her eyes widened and she squeezed the man, trying to bring herself even closer to him. He chuckled and held on to her, "This is how we got into our latest problem love."

"I don't care," she murmured into his chest, "and it isn't a problem, the problem is the annoying council who won't let us be together." He kissed her head in reply.

"It can't be helped, you are the Queen of Hyrule, you can't just marry a no-name orphan." She opened her mouth to argue but he interrupted, "Even if he is a hero."

"I believe your noble," she said. He smiled, "Well that's one."

She pulled herself back, I have to do this now, she thought.

"Hero," the man stood straighter knowing she was giving him a mission or orders as a knight, he had long ago sworn his sword to her.

"Yes my queen," she didn't flinch at that.

"Hero. I need you to return our precious treasures to our allies."

"Yes my lady," he replied. She immediately changed from her royal stature to the one they used when it was just the two of them.

"Thank you Link, I didn't know who else to trust with the jewels." She walked to him and gladly stepped into his embrace, he just pulled her closer.

"Now," he smiled, "I think we got away from what we were going to do earlier." Zelda giggled as he lifted her face into a soft kiss.

"Oh really now," she replied while pulling him into the doorway.

The guard passed by for the second time in a few minutes pausing to look around for a couple of seconds. A hooded man jumped down and knocked the guard out before hiding the guard. He gave a small look of contempt to the man and thought, this is how the guards of Hyrule act; this will be too easy. He heard the footsteps of another guard and inwardly cursed at his luck, the other guard wasn't supposed to show up until five – six minutes later. He grabbed the tapestry hanging on the wall and climbed up it until he reached the support beam.

"Marcus, what are you doing sleeping on the job," the other guard said nudging the first with his boot. The man scowled, if both guards were away, this area was going to be a lot harder to get out of. He searched around his pack until he found something that would work. He pulled out a slingshot, haven't used this in forever, he thought before putting in a deku seed and sending it right to the guard. He managed to hit just the right pressure point to make the guard pass out, he smirked, looks like Lady Luck's on my side tonight. He jumped down, thankful that his friend had muffled the sound of his boots just for this mission.

The hooded man ran towards the set of doors at the end of the corridor he knew from research would lead up to the place where his mission lurked. He was quick around the areas that met up with other hallways, but apparently not quick enough.

"Hey you," a guard called out. The man cursed in his head, the guard looked at him and pulled out his sword, "You are not supposed to be here." You think, the man sarcastically thought. The hooded man took out his sword, I'm going to have to end this quickly, he's going to call for help if I don't and that would mean failure which is definitely not an option. The guard started to charge towards him running with his sword up high. The hooded man quickly blocked all of the guard's thrusts and lunges before going, tripping the guard a bit and slamming the hilt of his sword against the base of his neck knocking the guard out. This is much harder than killing monsters, he thought before opening the doors. He would have to be like a sheikah now, and there was most likely a sheikah guarding the treasure he sought. His sword out and gleaming in the moonlight and torches lighting his way to the room he sought. He ran up the corridor of stairs, wary of any guard or sheikah on duty.

When he finally reached the doors of the treasure room, he chuckled, "Are you just going to stand there and watch me go into this room or are you going to shoot me as soon as I enter the door, sheikah Impa." The sheikah woman stepped out of the shadows and pulled her sword out, her red eyes flashing with delight.

"You are clever I will give you that, you knew I was behind you so you must have some skill, especially to make it past all those guards and make it all the way up here. This fight will be one I believe shall be an interesting one at that; however I will not allow you into that room." The man smirked, "We'll see about that." Their swords flashed and met into the middle. The clang of their swords meeting each other resounded in the hall, each trying to out do the other. An opening, the sheikah woman thought and reached for it with her sword, the man's eyes flashed, he pulled out a knife from his side pocket and forced her sword out of her hand. He punched her in the gut and threw her to the ground, placing his sword next to her throat, "yield." The woman held up her hands in surrender though they both knew she wouldn't as it wasn't in a sheikah to give in and stop once given orders by the royal family.

The man went to the doors and opened them; he turned to the sheikah woman, "Not getting in huh?" I'm not letting you in, the sheikah thought, and threw a dagger at the man. He slightly moved his head letting the dagger graze his hood; the wind blew his hood back. The woman gasped, "No." The man smiled and walked towards her, "Sorry sheikah, but I can't let you know who I am or what I'm doing. Sleep tight." He punched her hard in the gut, the woman's wide eyes closed as she went limp. Maybe I used too much strength in that, he thought, then he shook his head, if I hadn't she wouldn't have been knocked out. He went threw the doors and smiled fondly, "Hello treasure."

Queen Zelda woke up suddenly, something was off. Her love wasn't where he was when they slept last night. In his place was a note:

Something came up

Sorry I have to go and take care of it real quick

Be back soon

-Link

Still that shouldn't have made it what felt off.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to be standing guard, what would you have done if something happened to the queen!" A guard yelled. No, Zelda thought, the treasure! She immediately took off and ran towards the room where her "treasure" was, "Impa!" she called out, "Impa!" Her eyes widened when Impa didn't immediately come to her side, no, she thought. She started to run through the halls from her room to the room where Impa was set to guard.

"My lady," a servant exclaimed as Zelda ran past her, the servant just watched as the queen ran through the halls in just her nightclothes, "You are not in descent attire," the servant sighed.

The Queen of Hyrule froze when she saw some of her guards asleep on duty. Link's words came back to her, 'Your guards are too lax.' She ran past the men, most likely knocked out as she now thought about it, and went past the open doors to the "treasure room". As she reached the top of the stairs she saw Impa rubbing her head.

"I'm sorry my lady, an intruder got past me, I did not expect him to be so skilled, nor to know the ways of the sheikah." The Queen's eyes widened, "It's alright for now Impa, but the treasure, did he get it?"

"I do not know, the doors are closed for now but I'm sure he went in." Zelda pushed in and her hands flew to her mouth.

"My treasure," she sobbed, "it's gone." She heard some men start to run up the stairs. She yelled at Impa to check for the Ocarina of Time, the fake one was gone but the real one was there.

"Call the Temple of Time, ask if the spiritual stones are still there!" Zelda called to the guards. Just as the men were going to leave another guard came running in.

"My Queen, a man in a hooded cloak came running in the Temple of Time!" he reported, Zelda's eyes widened.

"Stop this man at once! Do not let him be able to escape!" The guards saluted then ran. She turned to Impa, "Get any sheikah who is trained enough ready, find this man and stop him." Impa nodded and then faded into the shadows. Zelda looked out at the slumbering city; dawn was beginning to rise, her right hand clutching her left side.

Hooves thundered across the cobblestone streets of the market, people where getting ready for the new day at Castletown. People ran screaming in surprise, terror, and just because others were, from the cloaked man riding through the town. The horse was covered to where people couldn't tell what type of horse it was, the covering making the horse look like its eyes were red with the dawn glowing throughout the castle market. He spurred his horse onward through out the streets of the town, going closer to the gates, closer to freedom.

"Close the gates! Bring up the bridge!" a soldier yelled. The hooded man scoffed and spurred his horse further past the slow gates; the bridge was going up faster than he anticipated. The horse taking on his master's urge pushed itself further towards the uplifting bridge. The soldier yelled to bring up the bridge faster but it was too late. People gasped at how the man led his horse; the horse pushed itself up the bridge and launched itself towards the land. Springing from the top of the bridge it landed safely on its hooves and continued to run. The man turned his horse to see what the guards would do, continue chasing him or give up. If there was one reputable thing about the guards it was that they wouldn't give up, but the man didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing at the moment.

The man turned his horse and charged it onwards; the horse ran on the planes as fast as it could, running towards the dawn. The man turned around watching the castle gates getting further and further away from him. He slowed down his horse and hopped off, gently patting the horse's neck and taking off its cover.

"We should be safe for a bit now girl," he whispered to his horse, she gently butted him in reply.

"Careful, careful, we wouldn't want to hurt the treasure now would we?" a small smirk graced his lips and his horse bobbed her head. A large crash resounded around the area, the gates had been opened and the bridges fell to the ground. The man jumped on his horse; other guards were rushing towards them.

"Man their persistent," he grumbled before taking off with his horse.

Less than three seconds then they started to run he stopped her. The man instead grabbed his bow and arrow and gently notched it.

"Give back the treasure!" a guard yelled, "Or face the consequences for stealing from the royal family!" The man laughed.

"Hmm, give back the treasure and go to jail, or take off continuing to have to royal treasure and have the chance to live, I don't know about you but I'd take my chances with keeping the treasure." The guard growled and spurred his horse forwards.

"You son of a-" he pulled out his sword. The man pulled back the arrow and fired. As the arrow flew through the air it caught on fire and landed right before the guards. The grass around it caught on fire, effectively stopping them from coming closer to him. The man smiled at his horse, "Their not as brave as you love." The horse whinnied and turned before taking off once more running over any monster or enemy that would stand in her way, an arrow striking just a few feet behind her from an agitated guard who lost his target.

As they ran through the fields the man looked at the bundle and remembered that the guard called it a treasure. The man chuckled a bit, he obviously didn't know what was in the bundle; it could be considered a treasure to a few. The horse started to slow down knowing that there was no immediate danger following them. The hooded man knew though that once they finished putting out the fire, the soldiers would be after them, with dogs, the few guards he knocked out, and maybe with a few sheikah if the queen was calling what he stole her treasure, but why wouldn't she, what he stole would definitely be her treasure. His horse tossed her head in elation happy to be just running, breeze flowing through her mane.

"It's been awhile since we've done this, I know, we'll do it more often, I promise love," he told his horse, which whinnied in reply. He brought her to a small stream and washed the false scent that he put on the two of them off. He didn't want any chances of anyone knowing it was him who stole from the queen; thieves weren't taken too kindly around Hyrule, even if what he stole was part his anyways.

He looked at his horse and saw she was tired from the travel they had done, he knew they should be safe; all he had to do was get rid of the evidence. He unsaddled his horse and got her ready to where her saddle wouldn't bother her while they stopped for the night. He went to a couple of trees and took the fallen wood from underneath them, and pushed down some dead ones to create some firewood for the night. He took off his cloak and threw it and his horse's cloak around the fire, watching it burn into ashes. He went to his knapsack and pulled out another cloak; both were common so it would be hard for the guards to track him down. The man pulled out the bundle he had hidden in his knapsack, with the old cloak in there and the treasure there used to be no room for anything, now there was room for a bit more. He looked at it for a bit making sure it was safe before bringing it close to him once more and using one of his horse's blankets as a pillow to sleep on. He went to his horses sack to grab some food and a hat, a man with a hooded cloak on would be suspicious at the moment but a hat, maybe not so much.

As he started to cook dinner a person walked up behind him, "Excuse me sir." The man pulled his hat down a little lower, "Yes, can I help you?" he asked, he looked up and saw two men, two soldiers, walk around towards the fire to stand in front of him.

"Have you seen anyone suspicious lately?"

"Not really, is anything going on?"

"Ahh…" One of them soldiers trailed off, obviously not knowing if they were allowed to say what was going on. The other soldier nodded, "There was a thief running about, he is in a full hood and cloak, he stole from the royal family." The man shook his head, "That's not good, if a man can steal from the royal family, must be like a sheikah or something, but those people are too loyal to the royal family. I wonder who it could have been. Sadly I haven't seen anyone suspicious around here, just me and now you. Its getting late, have you had dinner yet, I was about to have some my self, you can join me if you'd like." The soldiers shook their heads.

"Thank you sir, but we should keep looking. You should be careful yourself sir, monsters and poes run around in these areas." The man laughed.

"I'll be fine, I have enough light to take care of myself, and I know a bit of self-defense, enough to protect myself from the likes of those." The soldiers nodded and then took off. The man shook his head and smiled, and I gave them a big hint too, oh well. The sun set and he and his horse slept for the night, not fearing if any monsters or poes came towards them.

The next day the man set up his horse again and set off, instead of using a hat though he placed his hood up once more. It took almost the whole day to get to where he wanted to go. The horse whinnied at the entrance of the woods not wanting to go anywhere near it. The man jumped off and gently patted his horse whispering to her why she shouldn't be afraid and should go in with him. The horse gently head-butted him and followed him as he grabbed the reins. He placed her behind a tree saying to her softly it was to hide her from the outside just in case. Then he went through the opening, one that she had never gone in before, but this time she wanted to follow her master if only to keep him safe. He walked across a bridge and walked into a place where a warm, safe feeling was flowing around the entire village. Everything was tiny though, especially the chairs and tables. The small village hidden within the woods hadn't changed a bit, but the villagers, instead of playing outside like they normally would, were in their homes, staring at the stranger with curiosity. The man pulled his hood down a little more as he walked through the empty village.

He reached the end of the village where a person stood in front, as if to guard it from any unwanted visitors. The "child" was blocking his path and the "boy" seemed as if he wasn't going to move any day soon. The man just wanted to show him his sword and shield like last time but that would just frighten the "boy". The man pulled out an old Ocarina he had gotten from a friend and blew a familiar pattern of notes. The villagers came out of their houses and walked closer to the man knowing the tune well, how would a stranger know it, they thought. The "boy" stared at the cloaked man dumbstruck, only one who was friends with "her" knew that song. The man nodded before walking past the boy to the sacred tree. As he got to the tree he noticed it had grown larger than the last time he had seen it, not to its old size but was getting there. The trees that surrounded the great tree still stayed away from it knowing it girth and how tall it could stretch out once it became fully grown. The man getting closer to the tree looked once more in his knapsack at the small bundle within. The tree, the sacred tree, the Great Deku Tree, recognized him immediately.

"Go back within your homes," the Great Deku Tree ordered the villagers, the children who never grew up, the kokiri, "now." The "children" obeyed, all but two, one with green hair, and the "boy" who was guarding the entrance to this sacred place earlier.

The man pulled off his hood, and shook his head he would be happy when he could put on his normal hat once more, not some hood, and not some fake hat to deceive a few soldiers. The green haired girl gasped and her hands flew to her mouth but couldn't hide her smile.

"Link! You came back!" she ran towards him and gave him a hug.

"No way!" the "boy" objected, "he has to be a Skull Kid by now, you know the legend Saria, if a kokiri leaves the forest they disappear or become a Skull Kid."

"Mido, Saria, leave now, but come back when I call for you," the Great Deku Tree said with finality in his tone. Saria looked at the great tree with a bit of sadness in her eyes but obeyed his command; she looked back as the two were leaving though. The man just held the bundle a little closer and smiled to the girl

The new Great Deku Tree looked at the young man who stood before him and saw just how much he had grown. How fast he had grown from just a little boy who left the forest with a lent faerie to the young man holding a small bundle he had taken out of a knapsack that was placed where it wouldn't get hurt. The Great Tree knew of the things that had happened and those that almost happened. He knew the Link that had saved that time, and the same Link who stood before him. Two different times but the same person, one with the body of an adult but the soul of a ten-year-old, the other with the body of an adult and the soul of one who had seen too much for his own age. The Great Deku Tree, if he could, smiled at the young man before him.

"Link, I thank you for what you have done, not only for this time, but for that time as well. Though not everyone remembers it, those of us who do thank you for it, but it seems you have become a hero even in this time. You were born under a good constellation." The Great Deku Tree paused, "It seems that you are not here just to visit, tell me, Link, why are you here?" Link looked at the bundle within his arms.

"I have come to return something to you and…to ask you a favor," the last part was hushed, as if he was reluctant. The Great Deku Tree watched as the young man opened the bundle and a burst of green light shown forth. The young man reached in and pulled out the Kokiri Emerald. The Great Deku Tree shifted, which was noted by his leaves moving, and it noted that there was something else within the bundle. The Kokiri Emerald floated within Link's hand, slowly turning the glowing green emerald shown brightly taking in the nature all around it. Once more light hit the emerald and it reflected it straight towards the Great Deku Tree. The earth started to rumble and the Great Deku Tree started to grow, his leaves taking on a greener look. Link was losing his footing, he brought the bundle closer to him so it would be safe if anything happened.

The Deku Tree started to chuckle, he had grown a substantial amount, though he wasn't to his original height as Link was used to seeing him. He was curious on why Link held the bundle so close though. Spiritual Stones, if his guess was correct, did not break so easily, as he should already know.

"Link, is there something else within that cloth besides the spiritual stones of water and fire?" The young man nodded and gazed at the bundle pulling it closer to him.

"It was the reason why I put the Spiritual Stones in the cloth. To keep her warm or cool, maybe even peaceful I don't know it just felt like it was the right thing. The Temple of Time is being resealed, like it should have long ago, the Master Sword is being sealed with it. All the Spiritual Stones are being returned to their respective guardians, the Kokiri Emerald with the Kokiri, the Goron Ruby with the Gorons and the Zora Sapphire with the Zoras. With each returned, the Master Sword in place, and the Temple of Time being sealed, the Triforce should be safe within the Sacred Realm. As I left I stole her, I made a promise to keep our treasures safe after all." He uncovered a small, sleeping child with blonde hair. The Great Deku Tree was shocked, he couldn't believe it.

"Link, how could you take a babe from its mother?" Link gave a small smile, but it was a sad one.

"Easily," he retorted, "especially if the child is in danger, a secret, and is mine." Once more the Great Deku Tree was shocked.

"A child?" Link gave a small smile.

"Yes. You're a grandfather now," he joked. If he could, the Great Deku Tree would have hit him for that remark.

"How?" meaning why.

"There's many ways to steal a babe from her mother, I just snuck in and took her from her crib. Besides her mother couldn't keep her, she would have to go to others, adoption, or tossed on the streets never to know her family." The baby awoke and cooed at her father and giggled.

"You're doing the same," the Great One said sadly.

"She would be safe here, under your protection. I have a duty to the queen." He said the last part in a whisper.

He looked at his child, she looked just like him. Her blue eyes shining happily, smiling at him she reached a small, tiny hand towards him, trying to reach for her father. Link placed his hand on the side of her head, his thumb slightly caressing her cheek. The Great Deku Tree saw his old "kokiri's" eyes soften. The three Spiritual Stones floated around and Link's Triforce of Courage shined, he was worried for her, she was his flesh and blood. It was his fear that brought him to bring her here. The Great Deku Tree kept the forest safe and could watch over her throughout the forest and the woods. Saria would help too, he knew it. He shook his head, he was so fearful for his daughter, some courage; here he was trying to hide her away from the world, trying to keep her safe.

The Great Deku Tree watched the child and her father. He knew it would pain them both. The Hylian Kokiri, the Hero of Time, had already grown attached to his daughter, as parents usually do and his daughter had grown equally attached. That bond would stay and she would never know her father; one day she would grow up and have to leave the forest, she would find out that she is Hylian, and then she would know her parents left her. Would she hate them or not? The babe giggled and reached with both hands out for her father once more. He gave her his hand which she grabbed one finger which she promptly stuffed in her tiny mouth. How fast they grow up, the Great Deku Tree thought, when he watched Link. Hylians grew up fast, unlike the kokiri who stayed in their child form until they pass on. The two Hylians before him, they would die so fast before his eyes, even though one was just a newborn. As if to prove his point the baby started to cry, unable to communicate yet by talking. Link jumped a little scared and worried for his daughter.

"Seems hungry," the Great Tree said. Link made a small face and chuckled, "and smells as well." He quickly went to his pack and grabbed a bottle and changed her diaper. The Great Deku Tree knew his decision, what he was going to do.

The father hugged his daughter as she was falling asleep.

"Are you sure you can not raise her Link?" The tree asked. The young man sighed, "I have thought about this so much to where I am sure I can not. I am bound to my kingdom and my journeys are too dangerous for a child. Her mother can not raise her, it is why we decided we must hide her, though she does not know it yet that I have taken our daughter. She had to hide her pregnancy the entire time; it might be just as dangerous for her and our daughter, just as much as if I were to take her on my journeys."

"So no one knew?" Link nodded.

"The baby is a secret to all but Impa, who was guarding her, and now you," he looked up at the Great Tree, "Please, let her stay here, it is the safest place she could ever be." The Deku Tree agreed. Link shook his head, "Some bearer of courage I ended up to be."

"Link, sometimes the courageous thing may not seem courageous at the time. This is a different type of courage, you are allowing your flesh and blood to be protected by someone who isn't you, you are giving her a chance to be protected, to keep her safe, and the one you love safe as well. It may not seem courageous now but trust me, it is the right choice." Link just sighed; it did not seem courageous at all.

Link put the child down and placed the Spiritual Stones of Fire and Water back within his pack, he grabbed the Kokiri Emerald and offered it to the Great Tree. The emerald danced and started to float towards the tree. He pulled out his ocarina and started to play the Song of the Royal Family to seal the pact. Until the tree gave up the emerald it would stay with him as its guardian. As the emerald disappeared from view the area seemed to get a bit greener. Link looked up a bit forlorn. Being a guardian of one of the Spiritual Stones was a large responsibility, bigger than being the Hero of Time, and probably bigger than being one of the seven sages. The heavy air seemed to lift away though and it seemed like everything would be alright, Link pulled out his ocarina and played the Minuet of the Forest and Saria's Song. Saria ran down towards him smiling, he smiled back, she looked at him so happily and joined in with her ocarina, she was glad he remembered her song. They played for a bit longer and then stopped, he smiled down at Saria, she was shorter then he remembered. She leapt up and hugged him around his neck, "It's been so long Link." He nodded, "It has." He walked back to his daughter and showed her to Saria. She immediately liked the baby and said how similar she was to Link.

"Please help the Great Deku Tree take care of her, like you did with me," he smiled at his old best friend. She had water in her eyes and nodded to him, "Of course," she replied. She hugged him tightly once more and held on to his little girl.

Link smiled once more and started to take off when Mido stopped him. This is becoming a pattern, Link thought with a smile.

"Fairyless," he said roughly.

"Mido," Link replied, wondering what Mido would want with him.

"You're a real jerk, you know that. Had Saria and the others all worried for a long time, you know. All thought you died or became a Skull Kid or something." Mido looked away, "and don't think that just because your big doesn't mean that I can't beat ya'. 'Sides Saria would get mad." Link smiled and walked towards the opening.

"Link!" The Great Deku Tree's voice boomed, "What is she named?"

Link smiled.


End file.
